Top legislator vows to promote socialist democracy, rule of law

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's newly-installed parliament will dutifully fulfill its obligations to promote socialist democracy and the rule of law, and safeguard the authority of the Constitution, top legislator Zhang Dejiang said on Sunday.

"We are fully aware of the lofty missions and the huge responsibilities," Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), made his first public speech after his election to the new post. "We shall not fail the trust of people of all ethnic groups."

The NPC, or China's parliament, is the highest institution through which the people exercise the state power. The Standing Committee is the NPC's permanent organ.

"It is the primary task for people's congresses at all levels and their standing committees to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the authorities of the Constitution and the laws," Zhang said at the closing meeting of the 1st Session of the 12th NPC.

Zhang Dejiang, 66, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, was elected chairman of the NPC Standing Committee on Thursday. He replaced Wu Bangguo, who held the position for the past decade.

A new leadership lineup including 13 vice chairpersons and a Standing Committee made up by 161 members were also elected.

"To ensure people's democratic rights, we must strengthen the rule of law and put democracy under institutional and legal frames," Zhang said.

"We need to make sure that the system and the laws will not change due to leadership switch, nor due to variations of personal opinions and focuses of the leadership," he added.